Never Before
by ChristopherWincester
Summary: Stiles has spent the last part of three years looking for his hard-hitting story for Voltage, a hip and new age blog. He never expected that that story would come in the form of him going back to high school to see how teenagers are. Having to face his own past of being a total geek and feelings for a very attractive Lit professor named Derek Hale.
1. Chapter 1

Stiles closed the door to his Uber, his Jeep was once again in the shop. He should really look into getting a new vehicle but something stopped him every time. He moved inside the tall office building. Smiling to the security guard as he placed his cell phone and messenger bag on the x-ray machine belt, before walking through the archway for the metal detector to scan his body.

"Has your Jeep broken down again?" asked Jordan, the security officer.  
"Like clockwork, guess my Jeep hates Mondays too." said Stiles with a soft chuckle as he picked up his messenger bag and phone, reaching into the bag to pull out his ID badge. The bold lettering of **Voltage** on the top with his picture before and his name below that. 3 years ago after finishing college, he signed on to work at Voltage, a new and very hip online blog and news source. It was a dream for him, to write what he wanted to write and not have to wear a suit.  
"I hope you get it fixed soon." said Jordan, Stiles smiled and waved as he made his way to the elevator, pressing the 12 and looking down at his phone as the doors closed, smiling down at the text from Scott.  
 **Can we please get Chinese food tonight? It's a craving**  
Stiles chuckled, his finger moving at a rapid pace, hitting send on a reply.  
 **That can be arranged. I get off at 7.**

Stiles and Scott had been best friends since forever, they were like brothers, which was great since neither one of them had siblings of their own. They had always been there for each other. Scott was more popular than him but that never seemed to matter. Even with the bad nicknames, Scott and Stiles stuck by each other, just like a family should. Stiles put his phone in his pocket, making his way into the office. He threw up his hand to wave at a few fellow employees in a heavy game of foosball. He made his way into the meeting room where a familiar redhead and brunette were waiting for him, with a chair in the middle. Stiles said nothing as he sat down between Lydia and Malia, two work friends he had connected with almost instantly when he started here. Both already in the middle of a usual conversation.

"I am telling you, it was almost too big to fit." said Malia moving her hand at least thirteen inches apart, making Lydia roll her eyes but with a very curious look on her face.

"What did I miss?" asked Stiles looking between them, pulling the coffee cup in front of him to his mouth.

"I asked Malia why she was wearing the same clothes. Which lead to her telling me about her Tindr date's cock size," said Lydia rolling her eyes and taking a bite of the croissant.

"Sounds about usual for a Monday morning," said Stiles with a chuckle, Malia opened her mouth to say something but seeing the Editor in Chief walking in stopped whatever rebuttal she had planned.

"Good morning. The first of the month means that I have some stories I want to do" said Anne, the editor-in-chief in her usual bossy and assertive tone, "All right, I have this idea for an undercover piece. We send someone into a high school, pretend to be one and get all the dirt on how Millenials in high school really are. I mean everything, these teenagers are our future apparently and I want to either prove that or throw some gas onto the fire". Stiles hated the thought of undercover pieces, most of the time Anne really wanted the latter to happen. She wanted people to read their blog and people loved gossip and not hard-hitting journalism like Stiles wanted to do. He found himself sinking into his chair more, flashbacks of high school, before Anne's eyes met his causing Stiles to quite literally gulp loudly.

"Sean, you look like you are still 15, you will do it" said Anne matter-of-factly.

"Me?" asked Stiles his eyes wide as a chuckle escaped from Lydia and Malia's lips.

"Yes, you. That isn't a problem is it?" Anne said this as a challenge, everyone knew she had no problem firing anyone. There was a line of people who wanted to work for Voltage.

"Not at all, Stiles would love to. He was just talking this morning about how he couldn't wait for an undercover piece" said Lydia, Stiles just nodded.

"Perfect. I am friends with the principal of a local high school. Theo in tech will get you a fake ID and we will have you go undercover Monday" said Anne as she began to talk about other articles but Stiles didn't hear anything until people started to move from their chairs.

Stiles looked between Lydia and Malia, wishing it was all just a dream. The looks on their faces told him it was all too real, especially their smirks.

"So high school senior again, sounds fun." said Lydia, who was no doubt popular in high school.

"Why in the hell did she have to pick me?" asked Stiles as rubbed his hands over his face.

"Well let's face it, you do look very much like a high schooler." said Malia poking his cheek. Stiles wanted to crawl into a hole and just never come out, but that wasn't going to happen.

"It won't be so bad, Stiles. Plus, this could be some hard-hitting journalism for you. Maybe there is a secret drug ring at the school? Or maybe it's like Mean Girls, lot's of possibilities" said Lydia, Malia nodded.

"High School isn't so bad." said Malia, Stiles just gave them both a look.

"Maybe not for the two of you, but for me it was Hell." said Stiles as he stood up, both women following suit. They walked out of the room, both still at his sides as Stiles told them a few stories from his high school days.

"Well, this time you get to do it again. Malia and I can fix your style, take out all the plaid." said Lydia.

"Give you a makeover. This time you would be the geeky guy you were the first time around" said Malia with a smile. Stiles knew they were trying to help and he knew that this could be a good story.

"Exactly, this time, we will make sure you are popular" said Lydia as they led Stiles to his office, he sat down in the chair and looked at both of them.

"All right. Why not" said Stiles simply, giving into this second chance nonsense.


	2. Chapter 2

There had been no sleep for Stiles the entire weekend. His thoughts kept going back to high school, wondering just why he was doing this. Was his job worth this? He enjoyed working for Voltage but this was almost too much for him to bare. He was already wide awake when the alarm went off on his phone, his eyes locked on the ceiling above him. Stiles picked up his phone to stop the alarm and looked at the time. 6:32 am on Monday morning. Everything had already been set up for him at the school and he had his new identity of Thomas Quinn; an eighteen-year-old high school senior. Malia and Lydia had picked him out clothes that would make him fit in with "today's youth"; a phrase he was growing to hate. He moved his legs, his feet touching the hardwood floor. He sat on the side of the bed, his heart racing in his chest. Stiles wanted to call Anne and tell her to go fuck herself but he knew he would never do that. Instead, he stood up and stretched his body as he moved to look at himself in the mirror. A batman tee and matching Batman boxers. It was like looking at himself for the last time as he glanced over at the outfit that the girls had set out for him: a bright red polo, skinny jeans, and high top shoes. He shook his head, moving into the bathroom and turning on the hot water of the shower.

After finishing the shower, shaving his face (with what little facial hair he had, and brushing his teeth. He moved to the hanging clothes and slipped them on his body. They felt so foreign to him than his normal graphic tee and jeans that didn't feel like they were trying to squeeze fluids out of his junk. He moved back to the mirror, raising his brow. It was crazy how clothes seemed to change him. He didn't even look like a college grad, instead of how he did in high school, minus the acne. Stiles wanted to hate the way he looked in the mirror but there was a tug inside of himself that liked it. He felt attractive in the clothes, a word he had never had used about himself before.

"All right, Stiles. You got this. You can do this. This will be your big break. Your hard-hitting story." Said Stiles to himself in the mirror like a mantra.

He moved into the living room, grabbing the messenger bag off the table and pocketing his keys to a car that Anne had rented out for him. A blue, hybrid sedan; she wanted to make sure he would be environmentally cautious how all high schoolers were now. He moved out of his apartment, making his way down the five flights of stairs that led to the parking lot in the back of the building. Habit had him looking for his Jeep, who was named Roscoe. The realization kicked in when he saw the blue car, at least it was a working vehicle.

The drive to the school only took twenty minutes, which was a lot shorter than his commute to work. He smiled, trying to make sure he focused on the positives of all of this; it was the only way he was going to make this work. He pulled around to the side of the school where a small sign displayed Senior Parking. Stiles could feel his heart starting to race, seeing the school before him and all the teenagers around him were sending him into a light panic attack. He wanted to just keep driving right out of the parking lot but his phone ringing made him jump and slam on his breaks, causing the car behind him to lay on their horn. He gave a small apologetic wave as he pulled into an empty spot and slid the answer call slider and put the phone to his ear.

"You better be in that parking lot, Mr. Quinn." said Lydia, he heard a chuckle beside her, which meant he was on speaker.

"I am here. Thought I am not going to get used to that last name." said Stiles rolling his eyes.

"Well, you better. Cause for the next month you are Thomas Quinn. Have you even looked at your schedule? Anne let me and Lydia sign you up for classes and extracurriculars." said Malia. Stiles pulled out the piece of paper from the folder in his messenger bag. He hadn't even thought about looking at it, his brain was in so many other places.

"I am looking at it right now," said Stiles as he began looking at the schedule, his eyes wide, "you signed me up for Drama and the LGBT+ club. Are these things even 'cool to do'"

"Are you kidding me? You have to be kidding me. You are politically conscious and liberal hipster. These are very big things in today's world and political climate." Said Lydia, he could hear the smile on her face.

"Besides, maybe you can meet some legal guy in one of them and stop being single or at least have your first kiss." Said Malia, another roll of Stiles' eyes.

"I am not having my first kiss with some barely legal high school guy. My first kiss has to be something special. I want the entire world around me to go hazy. I want the kiss to make me realize that this is the only person that I am ever supposed to kiss for the rest of my life. I doubt anyone at this school is going to make me feel that" said Stiles as the other line was quiet for a moment.

"Damn, you are a writer." Said Lydia with an agreeable mhmm from Malia.

"Stiles, you can at least have some fun this go around. Loosen up and see what you missed out on high school. I have a feeling at the end of this month, you are going to be thanking Anne." Said Malia.

"That sounds very doubtful," said Stiles as a knock sounded at his window, he turned to see a middle-aged man wearing a suit. "Got to go."

Stiles hung up the phone, grabbed his messenger bag and stepped out of the car. The man gave him a soft smile which he returned.

"Mr. Quinn?" asked the man, Stiles nodded.

"Yes, that's me. Thomas Quinn." Said Stiles, the name not falling so easily from his lips.

"I am Mr. Reynolds. I am the principal of Ridgemont High School. Anne has told me all about your reasoning for being here and I am actually curious myself to see how this will end." Said Mr. Reynolds in a tone that Stiles wasn't sure if it was truthful or more of a challenge to him. Maybe an unspoken way of telling him he needs to make the school look good in his story.

"Well, I am very excited to write the truth and hopefully give the people what they want"

"I take it you have looked over your schedule. Your first class is World Lit, that one is with Mr. Hale. It seems to be a favorite with people in the school."

"I loved Literature in college, it was my minor." Said Stiles with a smile, one that Mr. Reynolds returned.

"Excellent then you should have no problems at all." Said Mr. Reynolds as they walked into the school, the loud bell sounding throughout the hall. Mr. Reynolds pointed to a door that was ten feet from them, Stiles gave him a polite wave as he made his way through the opened door. He noticed the back of the teacher, writing the words Kafka and Metamorphosis on the whiteboard. Stiles smiled to himself, he had read the book and did a paper on it his freshman year of college. He looked around the room for an empty chair, finding one at the very front. Eyes on him from the entire class, whispers between them. Stiles felt his heart racing again. He was waiting for one of the girls to just stand up and tell everyone that he was an impostor. Maybe he had done something too early 20's and she picked up on it. Maybe this was all just about to come crumbling down. His flight or fight sensors blared in his head, his feet turning slightly towards the door when a voice broke through the panic.

"You must be, Thomas" said a deep voice from his right side, he turned to see the teacher for the first time. His heart racing faster, his breath hitched in his throat for a moment. The teacher was attractive, he was sure he had all the girls and a few guys in the class sigh happily when he turned around to bless them with his perfect face. Perfect face with a jawline that looks like it was sculpted just perfect for him by Michaelangelo. Stiles opened his mouth, he wanted to say "That's me" but instead.

"I'm Michaelangelo," said Stiles quickly snapping out of his mind when he heard the giggles,"I mean, yeah, I am Thomas"

"Welcome to World Lit, please take the empty seat and we will begin talking about one of my favorite stories." Said Derek as Stiles just nodded, too scared to say anything again as he made his way to the desk and sat down at a desk settled between a female and male student. "Who can tell me the main theme of this story?"

Stiles looked around the room, absolutely no one had raised their hand. He raised his hand slowly and Derek looked at him and pointed.

"The main theme of the story is how absurd life really is. Gregor just turns into this insect and there is no rhyme or reason for it, it just happens. He wasn't being punished by a vengeful god, he just woke up as an insect." Said Stiles, Derek raised a brow and nodded with a smile.

"Very good, that's the exact thing about this story. It just happens, there is no reasoning behind it. Maybe just fate decided to let it happen" said Derek as he turned back to the whiteboard and he began to write things on the board, he kept talking. Stiles found himself drawn into listening. Everyone was watching Derek carefully, thought the girl and guy on either side of him were no doubt more engrossed in his ass since he heard the girl go "Dat ass" and he was pretty sure the guy had been drawing a nude of Derek, which was actually very well drawn. The bell sounded again and half the class groined before they exited. Stiles stood up and pulled his messenger bag over his shoulder, looking up to see the Guy and Girls standing in front of him.

"So you are pretty smart." Said the girl, Stiles shrugged.

"Pretty smart." Said Stiles.

"You should sit with our group at lunch. I am Liam and this is my friend Hayden. told me yesterday that you would be joining the LGBT+ club. Most of the people in our group are in it. See you then?" asked Liam, Stiles nodded. They both smiled before walking out, whispering to each other. Stiles smiled to himself that he wouldn't be eating lunch in the bathroom today or something pitiful like that. He turned to look at Derek for a moment, Derek was looking over papers but his eyes looked up for a moment when he felt eyes on him. That simple thing caused Stiles to blush and move out of the room quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking into the cafeteria at lunch was like walking into the past, high school might have changed but this was the same. There were jocks in letterman jackets sitting together, cheerleaders at another table, and various other cliques spread out throughout the tiled floor room. He walked out of the line with a tray filled with food that looked edible, which seemed to be one thing that had changed. He looked around the room before he saw Liam and Hayden sitting at a table near the windows, the group they were with was a mixture of different cliques it seemed. There were letterman jackets, cheerleader uniforms, people with instruments, scripts, and AP books. He scanned each of them before his eyes landed on the guy at the end of the table; the sun hitting him from behind made the guy glow. For a split second, he looked just like the guy in high school that Stiles had a major crush on. For that split second, he was sure he was still in his own high school.

"Thomas!" called a familiar voice, snapping Stiles back into reality.

"Hey Liam, Hayden and others." Said Stiles as he sat down at an empty seat beside Liam, everyone glancing at him.

"Guys this is Thomas, he is new here and a new member of the LGBT+ club. Stiles this is everyone." Said Liam, as everyone at the table gave him waves, except for the guy at the end. He looked at him with a raised brow before he moved from his chair and moved to stand beside Stiles, holding out a hand.

"I am Brett Talbot." Said Brett reaching out for Stiles' hand, which he let him have. He wasn't even sure he could move or say anything in this moment. It was like a dream he had so many times before. The hot popular guy taking him by the hand and kissing him. Stiles watched as his hand was brought up to Brett's lips, he placed a kiss on it, he swore he heard everyone at the table make a soft noise.

"Really Brett. Someone watched Disney movies last night." Said Liam with a roll of his eyes with a chuckle, Brett turned to him and scowled at him.

"Game of Thrones, "said Brett turning his attention back to Stiles, "Dunbar gets jealous when my attention isn't on him. Excuse him"

"Ass." Mumbled Liam before he went back to his food, Stiles notices his hand was still near Brett's lips, he moved his hand away with a smile.

"I have read all the books." Said Stiles causing Brett to smile.

"So have I, maybe you can come over to my place tonight and we can talk about them." Said Brett with a wink before moving back to his spot at the head of the table. The table filled up with conversation at the moment, Liam turned to Stiles and talked lower than before.

"You will need to be careful with Brett, he likes to be the first to have people, even though he has a girlfriend," said Liam as he pointed across the room to the cheerleading table to a blond girl laughing with her friends, "they cheat on each other a lot"

"Why are you telling me this? I am sure he was just being nice." Said Stiles softly, his eyes glancing over to Brett who winked at him causing his face to turn red.

"Because Brett wants to fuck you, Thomas. You would just be another notch for him, knowing he got the new guy before anyone else. Just be careful." Said Liam, Stiles nodded and smiled to him.

"I will be careful, Liam. Thank you." Said Stiles placing a hand on his shoulder, it was nice that Liam saw fit to warn him, though something seemed personal about this. Stiles was sure that Brett had used Liam or something, it was the only thing that made sense to him on why he warned him.

The first day of Stiles new life had ended, he walked out the double doors of the school that lead towards the parking lot when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He half expected Liam to be the one to be touching him, but as he turned around, he saw it was Mr. Hale. Stiles felt for a moment he couldn't speak, but luckily for him, Derek spoke first.

"I saw your name on the sheet for drama class. The normal drama teacher is out for the year on maternity to leave, so they put me in charge. I was hoping you would come read for a part." Said Derek with a hopeful smile on his face.

"Oh, I saw the play was a week after prom, I assumed it had already been cast." Said Stiles.

"It is, but I want to go another way with the story and my Sleeping Beauty isn't the greatest, but tell no one I told you that."

"I wouldn't dream of telling anyone, "said Stiles softly, "you are doing Sleeping Beauty?"

"A modern retelling. I thought that maybe having a male lead with a male prince would shake things up." Said Derek, Stiles was shocked by this conversation. He was sure that a gay retelling of a play would have never happened when he was in high school. This felt like some kind of dream world.

"I… Really?" asked Stiles.

"Yes." Said Derek, Stiles just nodded as he felt another presence beside him, they both turned to see Brett standing there with a smile on his face.

"What are we talking about?" asked Brett.

"The play. Mr. Hale wants me to read for Sleeping Beauty." Said Stiles now well aware he was between the two guys who had caused some blood flow for him today.

"You should. I am the other prince, the one who would kiss you awake." Said Brett, winking to Stiles cause the blush to rise to his cheeks again as Derek cleared his throat.

"Tomorrow during Play practice, prepare something to read and if it's good, then you will be my new Sleeping Beauty." Said Derek with a smile of his own, before nodding to them both as he walked out the doors behind them.

"You should do this, Thomas. We would get so spend a lot of time together. Just us." Said Brett as he moved closer to Stiles, causing his heart to beat fast and hard, a nervous laugh escaping his lips.

"I will." Said Stiles, his brain in a far away place, he wasn't even sure he was in his body anymore.

"You would like that, right?" asked Brett, before he could answer, Stiles' phone went off, causing him to jump. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone, it was Lydia.

"Oh it's my mom, I have to take this. See you later." Stiles squeaked out before answering the call as he walked out the door.

"So how was it?" asked Lydia excitement in her voice.

"It was confusing. Everything is so different. It's mind blowing." Said Stiles as he made his way to the car.

"Any hot teachers?"

"Just the one. Derek Hale." Said Stiles blushing again.

"Anything happen? He throws everything off his desk and take you right there?" asked Lydia, Stiles rolled his eyes and turned the car on, the call transferring to his hands free.

"No, Lydia. That would be illegal. Since I am supposed to be a student, remember?" asked Stiles as he drove towards his apartment.

"Would make a good story. Sex sells."

"And means I would have got a good teacher fired. I am not doing that."

"Anything else happen?"

"Well, I think this popular guy is flirting with me." Said Stiles, blushing as he thought about Brett.

"Holy shit, what happened? Tell me everything!" said Lydia, more excitement in her voice now.

"Well, I think he did. I mean he kissed my hand and then asked to spend some alone time with me, twice. Though this other guy I met, Liam, he warned me he does this with new people. He has this thing with being first or something."

"And? Both of you are legal. I say do it."

"I am not having sex with a high schooler or teacher, Lydia" said Stiles gripping the steering wheel tighter in his hand.

"You are wasting this opportunity, but fine. I am coming over tonight. Meet you at Scott's?" asked Lydia, Stiles was happy that he would spend time with Scott, they never talked about work or anything around him and it was a nice break.

"I will be there with the pizzas. Bye" said Stiles as he pushed the button to hang up the call. A smile breaking out on his face as he thought about the day. For the first time, Stiles felt popular, and he understood why people craved this so much in high school.


End file.
